


Running Away

by CorinaLannister



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:14:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23925979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorinaLannister/pseuds/CorinaLannister
Summary: Two characters bought together by a camp fire. They won’t have to be alone any more.OrBeth meets and joins up with Daryl under different circumstances.
Collections: FandomWeekly (2019-2020) Writing Challenge on Dreamwidth





	Running Away

Surviving in the wilderness was not something she thought she would ever have to do. There was so much at stake now. Water, food and shelter were her main concerns yet she didn’t know what was edible and what wasn’t. She wished she had paid more attention or at least tried to watch some gardening and nature series on TV. She missed TV, a lot. However, here she was in the middle of a zombie apocalypse so no more TV for her.

She had been alone for just over a week now as her family had to split up after a group of walkers came upon them. She wanted her family, even her Sister, yet she didn’t even know if they were alive. This was because she was a coward and kept on running at the first sign of trouble. As soon as the first walker was within sight she stood her ground but when it was revealed that there was more than she could count, that was it, she was gone. There was no huge battle for her, she valued herself more than others in that moment in time. Though, that came with probably an even heavier price tag than going out as a hero would. She would have to live with survivors guilt and what ifs for the rest of her life.

Now, though, she was alone and struggling to survive. No food, no water and no shelter. Not to mention helplessly lost in a wooded area. She wished for things to be back to normal and that she would wake up back on the farm. The sky was beginning to darken which signalled to her that she would have to find somewhere to haul up for the night. This was the worst part for her, it usually meant a night of restless sleep or trying to trudge round in the dark.

Something happened then, she saw smoke rising in the distance. This was it, this could be her family, they could still be alive. She wanted to know, no she needed to know that they were okay. Her pace turned into a slow jog toward the smoke which had become her own personal beacon of hope. The way was becoming lighter now even though the sun had fully set. The light from the fire flickered through the trees casting shadows which should have frightened her but they didn’t.

“Halt, not one step further” came a mans voice which was foreign to her. It was then she realised that before her was not the camp of her family but that of a lone man who was now standing with a crossbow trained on her. Finally, the reality of her situation and what she had done began to sink into her.

She broke down then and fell to her knees. Her family were most likely dead, at the very least they were all gone and unlikely to be found again. What she had been holding back all came crashing down at once. She had left them for dead. Running away and not checking anyone else was, they had probably stayed and fought and tried to find her. She had already left though but they hadn’t known that. She knew she wasn’t a hero but she strongly believed that her Sister was. Her Sister would have made a rescue look easy, romantic even.

There was a hand on her shoulder then, “ I won’t hurt you, didn’t mean to scare you” came the voice again, “You hungry, I’ve got some squirrel roasting over the fire”. She looked towards what had bought her here in the first place. The fire. There was indeed a squirrel on a makeshift spit. She replied “Sure” though it sounded uncertain even to her.

A short while later she was handed the spit with the squirrel attached with the words “Eat up, Girl”. Perhaps she wouldn’t be alone anymore. If she played her cards right this stranger might be able to help her survive. He knew how to make a fire and catch animals at least. She closed her eyes then and stated “Maggie, my name is Maggie”. It was then that she was reborn. She would no longer be the scared little girl. She would take her Sisters name to honour her and with this Beth knew that she would survive. This was her final action as Beth and no one would ever know except her.


End file.
